Pigeon John Is Dating Your Sister

If there is one genre of music which makes 2003 different from every other year to this point, it’s rap. Sure, I’d owned the scattered rap album here or there previously, however it wasn’t until the one-two punch of getting Futhermore’s brilliant She & I, followed closely by my purchase of Blackalicious’ even better Blazing Arrow, that I began to search out the good stuff.

Since then I’ve picked up a number of great rap cds. From Mars Ill to Outkast. Common to Nappy Roots. And to top off the cake, I’ve discovered the new Pigeon John cd, Pigeon John Is Dating Your Sister.

Pigeon John treads the lighter end of the rap spectrum. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. The backing music isn’t hard and driving, but is fairly atmospheric. He isn’t trying to dazzle anyone by a smooth, fast-as-lightning flow, but instead goes at a pace that’s comfortable to him and the music.

What separates this offereng from the other stuff out there is the slightly skewed approach Pigeon John takes in rapping. His delivery is precice and has a songcraft feel to it. He uses many different tones, instead of staying on the same note all the time. The rapping isn’t intense, more matter-of-fact.

Lyrically, the topic is often girls, girls, girls. It’s hard to tell how much is autobiographical and how much is merely parables. In one song he talks about a girl he got pregnant and ended up leaving, then visiting the child years later. While the story itself is fairly bleak, it serves as a warning to not fall in the same trap. Many of the songs are like that. Tales of warning that, “I’ve been here and this is why it wasn’t a good idea.”

He drops a few “naughty” words here and there, nigga, ass, and hell, however for a rap cd he keeps it relatively clean. Hardcore rap enthusiasts may find this cd to lack the edge they’re looking for, however, people interested more in hearing something new should look this up.